Enclosure handle mechanism



April 14, 1959 W. H. EDMUNDS ETAL ENCLOSURE HANDLE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1956 IN VEN TORS. W/LZ/AM #A/mm zan /v05 April 14, 1959 Filed May 28, 1956 W. H. EDMUNDS ET AL ENCLOSURE HANDLE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Apnl 14, 1959 w. H. EDMUNDS ETAL ENCLOSURE HANDLE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 28, 1956 April 14, 1959 w. H. EDMUNDS ETAL ENCLOSURE HANDLE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 28, 1956 United States Patent ENCLOSURE HANDLE MECHANISM William Harold Edmunds, Havertown, and Frederick G. Schmidt, Haverford, Pa., assignors to I-T-E Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 28, 1956, Serial No. 587,613

Claims. (Cl. 200-50) This invention relates to a mechanism for operating the handle of an enclosed circuit breaker wherein latch means are provided to latch the enclosure cover to the enclosure. More specifically, this invention is directed to the type mechanism shown in copending applications Serial No. 421,753, filed April 8, 1954, and Serial No. 587,732 filed May 28, 1956, as well as in US. Patent 2,263,760 to Currie.

In the above described disclosures, a latch element is provided for latching the enclosure cover to the enclosure responsive to the movement of the externally mounted operating handle. A latch defeater is then provided which latch defeater is operative in all positions of the cover handle but inaccessible in one position thereof, this position usually being the oti-position.

Our invention first provides that the latch element is operated independently of the movement of the cover handle and secondly, a latch defeater which is mways accessible but is inoperative in all positions of the cover handle except in the circuit breaker on-position.

Hence, it the operator should inadvertently move the cover handle from the circuit breaker on-positi-on through the oil-position to the cover open-position, then the force imparted by the operator may open the cover even though it is not desired to do so. However, with our novel arrangement wherein the cover latch is operated independently of the cover handle, the cover will not open until he operates an independent mechanism when the handle is in the cover open-position.

Referring now to our novel defeater arrangement, it is to be noted that the prior art arrangement defeater is not truly inaccessible when the cover handle is in the elf-position, but one could operate the defeater screw in various manners. That is to say, although the defeater screw is only relatively inaccessible, it is operative in all positions of the operating handle. The defeater of the instant invention, however, is always accessible but is inoperative when the handle is in a predetermined position such as an off-position. Hence, a positive means of protection is offered to anyone who might be working on the electric line associated with this circuit breaker by merely placing the circuit breaker in the ofi-position and, if desired, to lock the circuit breaker handle in this position.

Accordingly, a primary object of our invention is to provide a cover latch for a circuit breaker enclosure which is operated independently of the position of the circuit breaker handle.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a defeater means for a cover latch which is operative only in a predetermined circuit breaker position.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a cover latch for an enclosed circuit breaker which is operated independently of the cover handle and is operative only when the cover handle is in a predetermined position such as an open cover position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dcfeater means for a cover latch of a circuit breaker enice closure which is accessible in all positions of the circuit breaker handle and is operative only in the cover handle off-position.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of our novel invention.

Figure 2 shows a top view of the cover and operating handle assembly.

Figure 3 shows a view of Figure 2 taken across the lines 33.

Figure 4 shows a view of Figure 2 when taken across the lines 4-4.

Figure 5 shows an enlarged view similar to Figure 3 when the cover handle is in the on-position.

Figure 6 is similar to Figure 5 and shows the operating handle in an off-position.

Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view taken through the operating handle of Figure 2 when the cover handle is in the cover open position.

Figure 8 is similar to Figure 7 showing one possible modification of the cover handle mechanism.

Figure 9 shows a view taken across the lines 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring now to the figures, Figures 2, 3 and 4 show a circuit breaker unit 20 as being enclosed within a housing 21, the housing or box having a door or lid 22 hinged thereto at the top in a conventional manner. The usual gasket 23 may be provided, the enclosure being suitably fastened to a wall at mounting bosses 24. A description of the mechanism will now be given with particular reference to Figure 1 which shows a composition operating cover handle 25 which may be integrally constructed with a shaft 26, the shaft passing through a bore 27 in a notched locking plate 28 fastened exteriorly on a cover or door 22 and thence through a bore 29 in the door 22 and through a bore 30 in a mounting plate 31 fastened interiorly to the door 22.

The elements 28 and 31 are secured to the door .22 by means of bolts 32 which may pass through the door 22 and have a threaded engagement with aligned holes in plate 22.. Shaft 26 is then shown as having a collar 33 surrounding it which is stationary and pre-fitted in bores 39 and 29.

Carried on the mounting plate 3-1 is a latch plate 34 which is pivotally mounted to the mounting plate 31 as by a pivotal means 35. A spring 36 surrounds the collar 33 with sufficient radial clearance so that it can be wound at least a partial turn without binding on the collar. One end of spring 36 is suitably secured. in the latch plate 34 while the other end bears in a hook recess 37in an actuator plate 38.

Plate 38 is provided with a rectangular slot 39 which keys the plate 38 to the rectangular end 40 of shaft 26. The cover assembly is then fastened together by means of plate member 40, lock washer 41 and a bolt 42 which is fastened to the shaft 26. The actuator plate 38 is resiliently mounted to the plate 43 which contains the rectangular aperture 39 by means of the flexible mounting means 44 and 45. The plate 38 is then seen as being provided with an aperture 46 which is so adapted and positioned as to engage the protruding handle of a circuit breaker. Hence upon rotation of shaft 26, a circuit breaker handle positioned within aperture 46 will be moved between its various positions.

Actuator plate 38 is resiliently mountedin the event that the cover 22 is slammed closed when the aperture 46 and a cooperating circuit breaker handle are not in alignment. In this condition, it is seen that the actuator plate 38 will flex away from the circuit breaker handle without causing breakage thereof. This feature is more with a button 50 which passes through collar 51 and is biased out of engagement with the surface 49 by means of the spring 52. The upper portion of button 50 projects into aperture 53 of the door 22.

' An operating member 54 is then pivotally mounted to the cover operating handle 25 at pivot point 55 and an extension 56 of operating member 54 is disposed to align with aperture 53 when the operating handle 25 is moved to a predetermined position such as an open cover position. It is noted that the operating member 54 is biased upwardly by means of the biasing spring 57.

It may now be understood that upon rotation of operating handle 25 and hence shaft 26 that latch plate 34 will be rotated within the limits given by protrusion 58 of plate 31 which is inserted within the aperture 59 of latch plate 34 to thereby bring the latch 47 into engagement with latch member 48. However, in order to disengage latch members 47 and 48, it is necessary as will be more fully described hereinafter to move the cover handle 25 to a position where the protrusion 56 of operating means 54 will align itself with aperture 53 so that a subsequent depression of operating means 54 will drive the button 50 into engagement with surface 49 and not be operative since it is not in alignment with aperture 53. Similarly, a depression of operating means 54 will not cause extension 56 to move into engagement with the operating latch means or button 50, hence it will be impossible to open the cover by defeating the latch means 47 when the circuit breaker is in the position of Figure 6.

If, however, the operating handle is moved from the off-position of Figure 6, to the open cover position of Figure 7, it would then be possible to depress operating means 54 since extension 56 is now in alignment with aperture 53 and button 50. Therefore, in the open cover position of Figure 7, the operating means 54 may be depressed to drive button 50 into engagement with the surface 49 and thus cause unlatching between the cover 22 and the circuit breaker enclosure.

So as to ensure a more positive independence between the operating handle position and the operating means 54, it may be desirable to construct the operating means 54 so as to require a completely different operation of the operator than is utilized in moving the operating handle. An embodiment showing this type of construction may be seen with reference to Figures 8 and 9 in which the operating handle is constructed to have an thus move latch 47 in a counterclockwise direction to disengage latches 47 and 48.

In order to lock the operating handle 25 in a predetermined position, a plate 60 which is more clearly seen in Figure 7 is provided to. extend throughout the length of the operating handle, this plate having a protrusion 61 adapted to cooperate with notches 62 and 63 of the notch plate 28.

Hence when the operating handle 25 is moved to an on-position, a depression of extension 64 of plate 60 will cause protrusion 61 to move into notch 62. An

aperture may then be provided in plate 60 which will cooperate with aperture 65 of cover handle 25 so that a padlock or other locking means may be inserted therethrough to thus effect a locking of the circuit breaker handle by virtue of the engagement of protrusion 61 and notch 62. Similarly, the cover handle can be locked in a second position such as the off-position by causing protrusion 61 of plate 60 to be inserted in notch 63 of notch plate 28.

Our novel defeater means which is shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 as comprising the button 66 is more clearly seen in connection with Figure 5 as being mounted within a depression 67 of cover handle 25 and being spring biased upwardly by the spring means 68. Button 66 may be so mounted within its aperture as to be operative only by a special tool and it is to be specifically noted that the defeater means or button 66 is always accessible regardless of the position of the operating handle 25. However, it is only when the button 66 is in alignment with the button 50 that the defeating means is operative.

Figure 5 shows our novel defeater operation where the cover handle 25 is in the on-position and the buttons 66 and 50 are engageable through the aperture 53 of the door 22. Hence, while the circuit breaker is in its operating button 70 positioned within aperture 71 of the operating handle so as to provide a cam like action at the surface 72 of the operating means 54 which is pivotally fastened at pivot 73 at the top portion 72 of the button 70.

It is now seen that when the circuit breaker handle 25 is in the open cover position of Figures 8 and 9, that the operator must then move the operating means 54 clockwise about the pivot point 73 to thereby drive the button 70 into engagement with the operating button 50 to unlatch the latch engagement between the cover and the enclosure. The defeater means which is positioned within the aperture 67 of the circuit breaker handle 25 of Figure 9 would operate in the same manner as has been heretofore described.

It is to be noted that although the defeater means has been shown as a button in each of the embodiments, that it could have been shown as any other means such as a screw means. Similarly, while the cover latch operating means has been shown as being operated by the operating means such as 54 in Figures 7 and 8, the button 50 of Figure 7 could have been directly operated or once again, if desired, could have been constructed as a screw means which is accessible or operable only in the cover closed position of the operating handle 25.

Although we have described preferred embodiments of our invention, many modifications and variations will now be apparent to those skilled in the art and we prefer to be limited, therefore, not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A latching mechanism for the cover of an enclosure adapted to house a circuit breaker; an operating handle associated with said latching mechanism; said operating handle mounted on said enclosure cover and operatively connected to operate the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within said enclosure; said externally mounted operating handle being movable to an on-position corresponding to a circuit breaker on-position; an

on-position, an operator may depress button 66 to thereby cause button 50 to engage surface 49 of latch 47 and thus rotate latch 47 out of engagement with its cooperating stationary latch member 48. When the circuit breaker is in the off-position of Figure 6, however, it is seen that the button 66 which is positioned within the aperture 67, although being accessible to operation, will off-position corresponding to a circuit breaker off-position; and an open cover position; said latching mechanism being constructed to provide unlatching means for unlatching said cover independently of said externally mounted operating handle when said operating handle is in said open cover position; said latching mechanism maintaining said cover latched closed when said operating handle is moved to said open cover position until said unlatching means is operated.

2. A latching mechanism for the cover of an enclosure adapted to house a circuit breaker; an operating handle; said operating handle mounted on said enclosure cover and operatively connected to operate the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within said enclosure; said externally mounted operating handle being movable to an on-position corresponding to a circuit breaker onposition; an off-position corresponding to a circuit breaker off-position; and an open cover position; said latching mechanism being constructed to provide unlatching means for unlatching said cover independently of said externally mounted operating handle when said operating handle is in said open cover position; and a defeater means; said defeater means being accessible to defeat said latching mechanism in each of said operating handle positions; said defeater means being constructed to be inoperative in said first operating handle position and operative in said second operating handle position.

3. A latching mechanism for the cover of an enclosure adapted to house a circuit breaker; an operating handle; said operating handle mounted on said enclosure cover and operatively connected to operate the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within said enclosure; said externally mounted operating handle being movable to an on-position corresponding to a circuit breaker onposition, an ofi-position corresponding to a circuit breaker ofi-position, and an open cover position; said latching mechanism being constructed to provide unlatching means for unlatching said cover independently of said externally mounted operating handle when said operating handle is in said open cover position; and a defeater means to defeat said latching mechanism, said defeater means being constructed to be accessible in each of said operating handle positions; said defeater being operative in only said on-position of said operating handle.

4. In a latching mechanism for the cover of an enclosure adapted to house a circuit breaker; an operating handle; said operating handle being mounted externally of said enclosure and operatively connected to operate the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within said enclosure; said externally mounted operating handle being movable between a first and second position for moving said circuit breaker handle between a first and second position; a defeating means for said latching mechanism; said defeating means being constructed to be accessible in said first and second operating handle positions and operative in only said second operating handle position.

5. In a latching mechanism for the cover of an enclosure adapted to house a circuit breaker; an operating handle; said operating handle mounted on said enclosure cover and operatively connected to operate the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within said enclosure; said externally mounted operating handle being movable to an on-position corresponding to a circuit breaker onposition; an off-position corresponding to a circuit breaker off-position and an open cover position; a defeating means for said latching mechanism; said defeating means being constructed to be accessible in said on-, ofl-, and open cover positions; said defeating means being operative in said on position, and inoperative in said off and open cover positions.

6. An operating mechanism for operating the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said enclosure having a cover adapted to complete said enclosure; an external operating handle mounted externally of said completed enclosure; said external operating handle being operatively connected to said circuit breaker handle to move said circuit breaker handle between a first and a second position; a latch means constructed to latch and unlatch said enclosure cover to said enclosure; and a defeater means operatively constructed for defeating said latch means constructed to be accessible for operation in each of said first and second positions of said externally mounted operating handle and operative only when said externally mounted operating handle is in said second position.

7. An operating mechanism for operating the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said enclosure having a cover adapted to complete said en closure; an external operating handle mounted externally of said completed enclosure; said external operating handle being operatively connected to said circuit breaker handle to move said circuit breaker handle between a first and a second position; a latch means constructed to latch and unlatch said enclosure cover to said enclosure; and a mechanism operative independently of said externally mounted operating handle being positioned to unlatch said latch means when said externally mounted operating handle is in said first position; and a defeater means for defeating said latch means constructed to be accessible for operation in each of said first and second positions of said externally mounted operating handle and operative only when said externally mounted operating handle is in said second position.

8. An operating mechanism for operating the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said enclosure having a cover adapted to complete said enclosure; an external operating handle mounted externally of said completed enclosure; said external operating handle being operatively connected to said circuit breaker handle to move said circuit breaker handle between a first and a second position; a latch means constructed to latch and unlatch said enclosure cover to said enclosure; said latch means comprising a movable latch member con nected to said cover and a cooperating stationary latch member mounted on said enclosure; an operating means; said operating means being positionable by said externally mounted operating handle and operable by means independent of said externally mounted operating handle; said operating means being constructed to be movable to disengage said latch member connected to said cover when said externally mounted operating handle is positioned in said first position.

9. An operating mechanism for operating the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said enclosure having a cover adapted to complete said enclosure; an external operating handle mounted externally of said completed enclosure; said external operating handle being operatively connected to said circuit breaker handle to move said circuit breaker handle between a first and a second position; a latch means constructed to latch and unlatch said enclosure cover to said enclosure; said latch means comprising a movable latch member connected to said cover and a cooperating stationary latch member mounted on said enclosure; an operating means; said operating means being positionable by said externally mounted operating handle and operable by means independent of said externally mounted operating handle; said operating means being constructed to be movable to disengage said latch member connected to said cover when said externally mounted operating handle is positioned in said first position; and a defeater means for defeating said latch means constructed to be accessible for operation in each of said first and second positions of said externally mounted operating handle and operative only when said externally mounted operating handle is in said second position.

10. An operating mechanism for operating the handle of a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said enclosure having a cover adapted to complete said enclosure; an external operating handle mounted externally of said completed enclosure; said external operating handle being operatively connected to said circuit breaker handle to move said circuit breaker handle between a first and a second position; a latch means constructed to latch and unlatch said enclosure cover to said enclosure; and a mechanism operative independently of said externally mounted operating handle being positioned to unlatch said latch means when said externally mounted operating handle is in said first position; a spring biased member mounted on said cover in alignment with said latch means; a defeater mounted on said cover and movable with said operating mechanism; said defeater being 7 moved into alignment with said spring biased member when said operating handle is moved to said "second position; 'said defeater operatively constructed 'to move said spring biased member and thereby *release said latch means only when said handle is in said second position 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 

